//------------------------------//
// The Welcome 
// Story: The Voice of the Sun 
// by Lev the Lurker 
//------------------------------//

	  The next morning, Raindrops said good-bye to her parents and brother and headed for the train station. On the way, she ran into Lyra again, this time with saddle bags packed with sundries instead of snacks, and the two greeted each other with wearily waves.
“You look tired,” said Raindrops with as much tact as her mind could muster, and Lyra shrugged.
“Didn't get much sleep last night,” said Lyra with a yawn.
“Me neither,” said Raindrops. “Kept on thinking about this mission...thing.”
“Was less thinking and more Bonbon on my end,” explained Lyra with a wry grin. “She wasn't exactly pleased with the idea of not seeing me for Luna knows how long, so she decided to...well, get some alone time in advanced.”
“Oh,” mouthed Raindrops with a blush as Lyra chuckled, and the two walked together in awkward silence for a few minutes before Raindrops spoke again. “Haymaker wasn't kidding about making sure things here are taken care of while we're gone. Somepony hired enough weather ponies to cover for three of me until next Winter Wrap-up. And not just those freelance scrubs like Trixie tried bringing in for the Longest Night, either; these ponies are actual professionals from Canterlot.”
“Oh, wow,” whistled Lyra. “That must've been fun explaining to everypony else.”
“Yeah, well, I mostly just shrugged and got out of there as fast as I could,” admitted Raindrops as she patted her saddlebags. “Still, if they're throwing around enough bits to cover for us that much, I figured it'd be smarter to pack for a long stay, just in case.”
“Same,” said Lyra. “They even sent somepony to help Bonbon with the store, too.”
“Really?”
“Well, I think so,” said Lyra. “Cause when I got home, there was this stallion named Joe at the store talking about studying candy making under Bonbon for the season. He said that he owned a donut shop in Canterlot and was looking to branch out into other desserts and wanted to learn from the best, but I think he's some sort of secret agent or something.”
“And they say I read too many cheesy novels,” muttered Raindrops under her breath before asking aloud, “What did Bonbon think about it?”
“She was okay with it after I filled her in on what was happening, though she made me promise that I'd come back to her, of course,” said Lyra with a sleepy grin. “Honestly, she could run the store without me easily, but knowing that there's someone there making sure she's okay will make me feel a lot better. Don't want to get too distracted when fighting legions of evil sun-worshippers and griffons, right?” They both shared a laugh as they turned a corner and the train station came into sight, though they saw something else there that made them briefly pause.
“Is that what I...” Raindrops tried to ask before her voice trailed off.
“Yep,” confirmed Raindrops, their eyes both wide in wonder as they stared at the royal sky-coach parked by the train station, a quartet of fully armored Night Guards watching them and waiting patiently.
“But that's...”
“Luna's personal chariot,” said Lyra with mounting excitement. “That only the Princess herself, or her hand-picked representatives are allowed to ride in. Not even the viceroys can use it without asking her permission first. In writing.”
“Pinch me.”
“With what?”
“Dames,” said one of the Night Guards as she walked forwards and bowed. “We have orders to escort you to the Griffon Kingdoms as official envoys of Princess Luna Equestris, and are ready to depart as soon as you're aboard. If you'd please follow me.” The two mares nodded in stunned silence, walking forwards as though in a trace as they gazed at the elegant vehicle.
“This is so cool,” said Raindrops as she stepped inside, taking a seat on one of the plush cushions.
“I know,” said Lyra as she glanced around the cabin as though making measurements. “Hey,  do you think that, once this is all over, if we do a good enough job and ask really nicely, Luna would let us borrow this, cause I'm getting the inspiration for this perfect song that—”
“Before we get underway,” interjected the Night Guard as her squadmates strapped themselves into flight harnesses, “Our embassy has prepared a quick brief of information pertinent to the current mission underneath your seats. The trip will take a good portion of the day, so please use that time to go over the materials before we land.”
“Oh, right, gottcha,” said Raindrops, coming back down to earth as she reached under her cushion and drew out a stack of papers that was thicker and heavier than most bricks.
“Um...” said Lyra as she stared dubiously at her own copy. “Do we have to read the whole thing?”
“Yes,” said the Night Guard as she finished lashing herself to the chariot. “Better make yourselves comfortable; we're in for a long flight.”
“Yeah,” grunted Raindrops as she flipped through the first few pages, each packed with enough small writing to turn the pages black with ink. “Tell me about it...”
“I always hated homework...”

*            *            *

“We’re approaching our destination now,” shouted one of the Night Guards over the rushing wind as the sky chariot started to descend beneath the clouds.
“Horsefeathers,” cursed Raindrops wearily as she flipped another page in the seemingly endless stack of papers. “I’m not even close to halfway through this thing and I can barely remember any of it! I swear, I think some of this isn’t even in Equestrian!”
“Actually, most of it is in Griffon,” explained Lyra with a tired sigh.
“Wow…well, that explains a lot,” said Raindrops with a hint of relief. “So…can you read Griffon?”
“Meh, I know enough to understand that I’ll never be able to speak it,” admitted Lyra with a chuckle. “But I’ve been able to recognize a few stories and songs that I know the translations for, but I really don’t see how that’s going to help us much.”
“Gah,” groaned Raindrops as she leaned her head over the edge of the chariot and stared at the vast expanse of harsh, jagged mountains that were slowly rising up to meet them. “I don’t think I can read another page of that stupid thing. I’m tempted to just jump out and fly the rest of the way myself just to get away from the thing.”
“How bout I see how much sense I can make out of this and just tell you about it later?” offered Lyra.
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Target in sight,” said the lead guard, and the two mares both turned to catch their first glimpse of the Griffon Kingdoms. The view was that of a harsh, cold and vertical landscape, the grey stone faces of mountains flecked with the white of snow and errant clouds dominating the scene. As they drew closer, they could begin to see the facades of buildings pressed flat again the mountainside, as though someone had taken a house and embedded it in the stone. Griffons flew through the frigid air all around them, watching the chariot with intense curiosity while still giving the royal Equestrian vehicle a visible bubble of clear air. 
Lyra watched as a group of them, most likely a family judging by the pair of young foals—or hatchlings? Cubs?—flew up to one of the scores of ornate entryways that dotted every face, and hovered just outside the large, heavy slab of wood that covered the entryway. One of the griffons, a large male, barked something in their native tongue, and the large door began to swing downwards, lowered by strong, thick ropes until it rested perpendicular to the cliff’s face. The griffons landed gracefully on the wooden ledge, folding up their wings as they walked into the cavernous hall carved from living stone, the door drawing shut behind them with the squeal of squeaky pulleys before slamming shut with a loud thud.
“Wow,” said Lyra as she took in the scene. “Door and landing pad all in one. Do they have those in Cloudsdale, too?”
“Not really,” said Raindrops. “No point. Clouds don’t make for very sturdy doors. I remember the first time I locked myself in my room in Ponyville, Dad tried to buck down the door and nearly sprained his ankle…”
As they talked, the sky coach swung around to the west, heading for a smaller peak near the outskirts of the range that made up the alpine city. There, the top of the mountain had been shorn off, and a large, wood and stone building in the Equestrian style had been built on top of it, with a small strip of cleared area in front in front of the main entrance. A small group of ponies were gathered outside, presumably waiting for their arrival, and the team of Night Guards brought them in for a gentle landing that signaled the end of their flight.
“Dame Raindrops, Dame Heartstrings,” greeted a stallion wearing a fine suit and a wide smile as the mares disembarked. “I trust you had a pleasant trip.”
“Depends on your definition of pleasant,” said Raindrops with a groan as she stretched her cramped muscles. “The chariot was nice, but I think I would’ve preferred flying at least part of the way.”
“Speak for yourself,” said Lyra with a chuckle as she began to levitate out her bags, only to have two ponies dressed as pages take them from her.
“Please, don’t bother yourself with the luggage,” said the well-dressed stallion. “We have ponies for that.”
“Oh, uh, okay…” said Raindrops as another pair of servants busied themselves with her things. “You sure that’s necessary? I can do it myself, really, no big deal.”
“How refreshingly quaint,” said the stallion with a chuckle. “I had heard that you are used to living well below the standard that Knights of your status would typically enjoy, but while here it is important to keep up your appearance as high-ranking diplomats and representatives of the Princess. So, in the interests of national security, please refrain from acting like commoners during your stay.” He tried to smile at them reassuringly, but was rewarded with one of Raindrop’s mild glares.
“And you are?” asked Raindrops, a trace of irritation in her voice.
“I am Ambassador Quizzing, at your service, Dames,” he said with a sweeping bow. “And may I be the first to say to you both: Welcome to the Griffon Kingdoms.”
“Thank you, Ambassador,” said Lyra, dropping into the mindset she used for formal functions. “I’m sure that it will be a—”
“Quizzing what?” asked Raindrops, who rarely found herself at formal functions.
“It’s…Quizzing,” said the Ambassador, thinly masking his irritation behind a grit-toothed smile. “Just Quizzing.”
“That’s a wei—ow!” grunted Raindrops as Lyra elbowed her barrel. “Um, I mean, that’s a very distinguished name, gentle sir.”
“Please forgive my friend,” said Lyra diplomatically. “It was a rather long trip.”
“Yes, of course, you must both be quite exhausted,” said Quizzing as he motioned towards the embassy. “Please, come in out of the cold, and I’ll have your room prepared for you at once.”
“That is most appreciated,” said Lyra as they followed him towards the large building.
“Let me introduce you to the two members of my staff who I assure you will be most helpful in your mission,” said Quizzing, gesturing at one of his companions, a plump, stuffy-looking mare with a rather thick book as a cutie mark. “First off, Vast Volumes here was the one who prepared your briefing materials for you.”
“You mean that ones that were mostly in Griffon?” asked Raindrops sourly, and Vast Volumes bristled at her.
“That was to preserve their original meaning so as to convey a deeper understanding of the material, Dame,” she explained while adjusting her thin glasses with her hoof.
“Yeah, but not being able to read something kinda cuts back on how much of it I can understand,” said Raindrops flatly.
“But I put my guide to easy translations in the back!” Vast Volumes protested. “You could have easily learned how to read the rest if you would’ve just read that first!”
“Then why did you put it in the back?!” asked Raindrops angrily.
“Hey, wait a second, don’t I know you?” asked Lyra curiously.
“If you’d ever spent time in Canterlot academic circles then you most certainly would,” said the scholar proudly. “Why, I used to be one of the head linguistics translator for the Royal Canterlot Library.”
“Did you ever work on a Zebrica spellbook?”
“Um, yes, actually,” she said sheepishly. “Of course, it wasn’t my best work, and may be why I was sent here…but…um…oh,” she muttered, her eyes going wide as recognition finally dawned on her. “Why, hello there miss. I must say, you do look much more fetching and less vicious with a full coat.”
“I bet,” said Lyra with an angry glare, and the linguist started to visibly sweat.
“Yes, well, I, um, have some very important research that I need to attend to. Best of luck on your mission, Dames!” she said while frantically backpedaling out of the room.
“And this,” continued the Ambassador, either completely unfazed or simply ignoring the linguist half-galloping away, “is our head of security, Captain Lightning.”
“Dames,” said the captain with a respectful nod, which the two mares returned. “I think I can take them from here, Quizzing. I’m sure you have some important thing or another to take care of.”
“Quite right,” said Quizzing, flashing a smile. “I leave them in your capable hooves, then, Captain. Dame Heartstrings, Dame Raindrops, I hope that your stay here is pleasant and, once again, welcome to the Griffon Kingdoms.” He bowed deeply once more before excusing himself.
“Incompetent, two-faced moron,” Lightning spat as soon as the diplomat’s hoofbeats had faded.
“Excuse me?” asked Lyra.
“Wouldn’t be surprised if this whole blasted thing was his idea of a way to make himself look important again,” muttered Lightning grumpily.
“But, uh, I thought that the Shadowbolts came up with the plan?” said Raindrops with a hint of worry.
“They did, but I can’t help but believe that some blood-sucking politician fed them woefully inaccurate information in order to get this thing approved,” said Lightning angrily before taking a deep breath to calm himself. “My apologies, Dames. It’s just that I’ve been tasked with guarding two of the ponies most vital to Equestria’s defense in the middle of possibly hostile territory, with nothing but a bunch of dregs who got sent here for either incompetence or, if I’m lucky, blind political stupidity.”
“Well, that makes me feel a whole lot better,” muttered Raindrops.
“Sorry,” said Lightning with a heavy sigh. “I don’t mean to imply that your presence here isn’t needed, or that the mission is impossible. I’m merely trying to convey to you both my own frustration at our lack of support as well as emphasize to you both the necessity of self-reliance that will be required of both of you if this whole business flies right up the sun’s plot.”
“Duly noted,” said Lyra with a sloppy salute that earned a small grimace from Lightning. “We’ll try to keep that in mind while battling our way through hordes of Griffons and cultists.”
“And don’t think that the Princess would leave you on your own, either.” The three turned to see the Night Guard who had lead the chariot team walked towards them, stopping to salute the Captain. “Agent Roundhouse of the Shadowbolts, sir. My team has been assigned to provide extra protection to the Elements during the mission, though it would be best to keep our assistance discrete. If we can convince the Voice of the Sun that the Dames’ security is woefully lax, then we might be able to trick him into making a move that works to our advantage.”
“I’ll take that into consideration, Agent,” said Lighting. “However, I still insist on assigning my best soldier to be their personal escort just in case. Anything less might arouse suspicion from the enemy.”
“Agreed,” said Roundhouse. “I’d like to brief them first, if that’s possible, make sure they understand the mission.”
“Of course. He should be in the barracks now, first floor in the left wing, just ask for the sergeant. And send him up to meet us when you’re done”
“Roger. I’ll leave the Elements in your care for now,” said Roundhouse with another salute, which Lightning returned. “Make sure to listen to the Captain, Dames. He’s got a better head on his shoulders than the rest of the herd in this shack put together.”
“That’s not saying much,” grunted Lightning as the Shadowbolt trotted away. “Well then, Dames, if you’d follow me, I’ll take you to the communications room and show you that arcane doohickey that Night Light’s kid set up. Gotta make sure it’s working properly, otherwise we should all just save Corona the trouble and set our tails on fire ourselves.”
“So…” started Lyra as they followed him down the hall and up a few flights of stairs. “If you don’t mind me asking, sir, how did you get sent here? I mean, I’ve heard what they say about ‘being sent to the Griffon Kingdoms’ back in Canterlot, and what you said about incompetence, but if Agent Roundhouse vouched for you then…”
“We’d just like to know what you did to buck up so badly you wound up here.”
“Raindrops!”
“Perfectly valid question,” said Lightning. “I’m actually relieved that you’d ask that sort of thing. Good habit to have, might save your hides sometime soon. As for how I wound up here…you ever heard of a Duke named Greengrass?”
“We’ve had a few…experiences with him,” said Lyra, remembering all the trouble the stallion had caused her and her friends the previous year.
“Filthy little snake was looking to get some measure passed in Court, but needed to flip a few votes to do it,” explained Lightning humorlessly. “At the time I was serving in a command on the front lines of the Northern border and had the ear of Archduchess Nobility, whose vote he needed in order to win. Long story short, he tricked me like a newborn foal, and the Archduchess had me shipped up here as punishment for making her lose so much face in the Court. Worst part is that I couldn’t find any way to trace anything back to Greengrass directly, so the worm got away with it scot-free. Or at least that’s what I thought, until I heard about the Gala,” he added with a grin. “Good to know that karma comes with teeth, if you know what I mean.”
“More than you know,” said Lyra with a grin of her own. “So, why haven’t you tried to get your original post back now that Luna cracked down on all those Night Court shenanigans?”
“Really?” asked Lightning as he raised an eyebrow at the mare. “Is that how you think things work? Hate to break it to you, Dame, but my career is more dead and buried the Sombra. Luna might have put a halt to anymore ‘shenanigans,’ but she can’t fix every little life that got ruined before she put her hoof down, and, quite frankly, she’s got more important things to do with her time and resources anyways, what with a mad alicorn on the loose and everything. Way I figure it, the best thing I can do for myself and Equestria is to do my best where fate and politics has landed me. Truth be told, I’m rather glad I’m here instead of some witless hack, otherwise you both’d be up a cloud without wings, if you know what I mean.”
“That still doesn’t seem fair,” said Raindrops as they came to a stop in front of a door on the top floor of the embassy.
“Discord rolls the dice, kid, best get used to it,” scoffed Lightning as he opened the door and stepped inside. The room was a small one, with one wall covered in metal and multi-colored wires behind a wide desk covered in weird instruments and thick rolls of paper. The room had one occupant, and mousy looking mare with a pair of castanets as a cutie mark who visibly jumped in surprise as the trio entered the room. “Clicker, status report.”
“Nothing to report, s-s-sir,” stammered the mare as she slipped a bulky set of headphones down to her neck.
“Did Miss Sparkle check in from Latigo yet?”
“Yes, sir, a few hours ago, actually,” confirmed Clicker.
“Then that would be something to report, now wouldn’t it?” growled Lightning, and Clicker cowered. 
“Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”
“Anything else?” asked Lightning again. “Maybe Canterlot told us about a Corona attack, hmm?”
“No, sir, haven’t heard any reports besides the one from Latigo, sir.”
“Good. So, now that I’ve been properly briefed, how about sending a message to Miss Sparkle to test out the teleport beacon to make sure it’s functioning properly. Or is that not important either?”
“No, sir, I mean, yes, sir, that’s very important, I’ll get right on it,” said Clicker panickingly as she started pulling wires in and out of various sockets in the wall and frantically tapping on some of the instruments.
“Don’t you think that was a little harsh?” asked Lyra, which earned her another raised eyebrow from the Captain.
“Not really,” said Lightning. “Private Clicker here, like most of my command, has a severe lack of discipline, and was sent here for tying up a military line for personal conversations.”
“So?” said Raindrops. “That doesn’t mean you have to be a hardplot when you talk to h—”
“Personal conversations that involved rather lewd correspondence,” continued Lightning. 
“Um, okay, so maybe that’s—”
“With a stallion from Zaldia. Who happened to have a fetish that required information on Cavallian troop placement.”
“He said he liked military positions, okay!” Clicker shouted in her own defense. “How was I supposed to know it wasn’t a metaphor?”
“Less talking, more clicking!” barked Lightning. “Be that as it may, at least she knows how to use the blasted telegraph machine. The last communications officer they send me almost strangled himself with the cables.”
“I’m suddenly not feeling all that confident about our chances for success,” admitted Lyra with a grimace.
“Hey, come on,” said Raindrops as she nudged her friend in the shoulder. “Something is seriously wrong here if I’ve got a more positive attitude about this than you do. Just look on the bright side: if this is the worst that we’ve got to deal with, then we should still be able to handle this. Have a little faith.”
“Captain,” said a guard, coming to attention as he entered the room. “Reporting for duty, sir! What are my order…Hey, I remember you, sweet flanks. Oaton, right? Your succulent little blue friend wouldn’t be here too, would she? Wouldn’t mind seeing that hot pink marefriend of yours, either. Not much eyecandy up here unless you’ve got a thing for beaks and claws, am I right?”
“Oh Luna why?” said Raindrops, her spirit deflating.